Acoustical material



Sept. 17, 1935. c. E. oLscHNER ACOSTIICAL MATERIAL Filed Jan. 15, 1950 4 Sheds-Sheet 1 AJY/ Sept. 17, 1935.. c. E. oLscHNER AGOUSTICAL MATERIAL Filed Jan. 15, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 @thump Sept- 17, 1935. c. E. oLscHNER 2,014,694

ACOUSTICAL MATERIAL Filed Jan. 15, 1930 4-Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept.. 17, 1935.

C. E. OLSCHNER AcUsTICAL MATERIL Filed Jan. 15, 1930 4 Sheets-v-Sheet 4 atto/@wmp Patented Sept. 17, 1935 PATENT OFFICE 2,014,694 AooUs'rrcAL MATERIAL Clarence E. Olschner, Shreveport, La., assigner to Earl W. Lesher, Lakewood, Ohio Application January 15, 1930, Serial No. 421,023

2 Claims. (Cl. 20-4) any direction around in the interlacing connected air spaces or cells.

Withthe above and other objects in view the 15 invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts that produce interlacing connected air spaces which details are hereinafter fully described and claimed,

it being understood that various modifications 20. may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacricing any of the advantages of the in- Vention.

In the accompanying-drawings forming part of 25 this specication,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a fabricated acoustical panel or area constructed in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the 30 line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention,

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, 35 Figure 5 is a plan view of another modified form of the invention,

Figure 6, is a transverse sectional view on the line 6 6 of Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a plan view of a still further modi- 40 fied form of the invention,

Figure 8 is a plan view of another modified form of the invention,

Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line- 9 9 of Figure 8, 45 Figure 10 is a plan view of a modied form of the invention,

Figure 11 is a plan 'view of a modified form of the invention, and

Figure 12 is a plan view of a modified form 50 of the invention. f

' Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of reference designate similar parts, I designates a base sheet of sound absorbent material such vas Insul'ite, Masonite, Celotex, 55 felt cotton, wool, hair, wood, plaster, paper, composition board, textiles, or other sound absorbing materials. superposed on the base sheet are transverse parallel strips II and superposed on these strips are longitudinal parallel strips l2. The strips II and I2 are also formed of ab- 5 sorbent material oi the character just described and are xedly secured together in any preferred manner to form a rigid unitary structure integral with each other and with the base sheet. A membrane I3, preferably formed of burlap or canvas, but it may be paper or other material, is fixed to the outermost layer of strips I2 and forms a surface to receive any desired type of decoration, but the use of a membrane is optional as no acoustic virtue is claimed for the 15 membrane.

It will be observed that the innermost layer of strips Il produces channels I4 transversely across the fabricated panel and opening' through the edges of the panel and that the strips I2 of 20 the outermost layer form channels I5 which extend longitudinally of the fabricated panel underneath the membrane I3 and also opening through the edges of the panel. 1t will be further observed that the transverse channels I4 25 and longitudinal channels I5 are intercommunieating so that when sound waves strike the membrane -I3 they will be admitted vinto the interior of the fabricated structure and as diagrammatically shown by the curvilinear. arrow IG, will there be. absorbed during their ramifications in any direction around in the connected spaces or net-work of air cells. The panels may be so assembled that the longitudinal and transverse channels of adjacent panels form a continuation of each other so that long channels reaching through the height and Width of room walls may be produced if desired.

'I'he acoustical panel or area may be built up in the factory or built in place in a building 40 or room in which it is to be used. The size and number of layers of the continuous cells, which as above statedfare arranged not only ,in layers but in connected layers, are to be determined by the person who calculates the area of absorbing surface required to correct or serve a given condition. Y

Figures 3 to l2 illustrate modifications of the invention and show a variety of methods exhibiting afew of the unlimited possibilities of obtaining the interlacing connected cell interior. 'Ihe different shapes of the material used and the arrangement of these shapes may be determinerA by the manufacturers to produce interlacing cells by the shapes vof the layers.

In Figure 3 there is illustrated an .acoustical panel comprising a base sheet i1 on which is Superposed a plurality of blocks i8 disposedI in rows both longitudinally and transversely of the basa sheet, a surface membrane I9 covering the outer layer of the blocls and cooperating with the base sheet in forming a net-work of sound absorbing cells 20 communicating with each other` throughout the interior of the fabricated panel. 'Ihe blocks and the base sheet as above described are formed of absorbent material such as indicated in the list of materials above named and are rigidly connected together in any preferred manner to form a unitary structure. The membrane I! is preferably formed of buriap, textile, decorated paper, wall-paper or other material. The use of membrane I9 is optional and is not calculated to affect the acoustical results, but may be used to enhance the decorative appearance.

In Figure 5 there is shown a fabricated acoustical panel similar in construction to that form of the invention illustrated in Figure 1, with the exception that the additional layer of strips shown is to produce additional channels for increasing the absorbing area of the interior construction per square foot of exposed wall or ceiling area. Adv number of layers may be applied to suit the conditions under consideration. In the modified form illustrated, 2i indicates the base sheet upon which there is Superposed a layer of parallel strips 22 which extend transversely of the sheet. A second layer of parallel strips-2! is Superposed upon them and extends longitudinally of the sheet. An outer layer of strips 24 is Superposed upon the strips 2l and these outer strips extend transversely of the panel. A membrane 25 is secured to and conceals the outermost layer of strips 24. As indicated at 26 sound waves striking the panel are admitted into the interior thereof and there will be absorbed.

In Figure I there is illustrated a still further modiiied form of the invention. This modiiled form contemplates the use of longitudinal strips 21 which are curvilinear in length, in lieu of the straight strips employed in the form illustrated in Figure 1. A layer of curvilinear strips such as indicated at 21 may be alternated with a layer of straight strips 2l laid transversely thereof.V 'Ihe outer or curvilinear strips are in the present embodiment shown as concealed bythe membrane 2l and the inner layer of straight strips is shown as secured w the base Il, the whole fabricated structure being an integral unitary structure having intercommunicating continuous sound absorbing air cells in the interior thereof.

In Figure 8 there is illustrated a modified form of the invention of the type shown in Figure 3 which employs blocks instead of strips to produce the intercommunicating continuous sound absorbing air cells. In the 'modlned form shown inFigure 8 rows of square blocks ll arearranged longitudinally, of the base sheet I2 and produce longitudinal channels 33 and transverse channels I4 which communicate with each other at thevad- Jacent corners of each four blocks. I'he adjacent corners of each four blocks are bridged by a block 36. 'Ihe blocks )I are arranged in row longitudinally and transversely of the fabricated structure. A membrane Il is secured to the outer face of the blocks 8l and cooperates with the blocks in forming continuous transverse and longitudinal channels 31 and ll which communicate with each other in the plane of the blocks Il and also communicate with the transverse and longitudinal channels formed between the blocks 3|. Interposed between the base 32 and blocks 3l are additional blocks 39 which connect the corners of each four adjacent blocks 3l and are substantially the same in size and register with the blocks 35 as best shown in Figure 9. Thus, there is formed between 5 the base 32 and blocks 39 longitudinal air channels 40 and transverse air channels 4l. lAs indicated at 42 all of the above described channels are intercommunicating.

In Figure 10 there is illustrated the use of cir- 10 cular blocks instead of square blocks. The circular blocks 43 are arranged in rows longitudinally and transversely upon the base sheet 44 and each adjacent four blocks are connected by circular blocks 45, the latter blocks being arranged in rows l5 transversely and longitudinally of the structure.

A membrane 46 is secured to the outer face of the blocks 45. In this modified form also the rows of blocks form intercommunicating channels longitudinally and transversely not only between the 20 blocks of each row but between the blocks of Superposed rows.

In Figure 11 there is illustrated the use of square blocks 41 having the corners 48 beveled, the blocks 41 being arranged in rows longitudi 25 nally and transversely of the .base sheet 49. Superposed upon and connecting the corners of each four adjacent blocks 41 are blocks 50 which are of octagonal shape. A porous membrane 5i is secured to the outer faces of the blocks 50. In 30 this embodiment the longitudinal,v channels 52 and the transverse channels 53 formed between the blocks 41 areof comparatively small magnitude while the spaces between the blocks are of such magnitude as to constitute enlarged air 35 cells 54 which communicate with each other longitudinally and transversely of the structure as well as with the longitudinal and transverse chan nels between the blocks 41.

-In Figure 12 there is illustrated the use of blocks 40 l5 which are approximately square in outline with the exception that the sides are curved inwardly and the corners rounded. These blocks are secured to the base sheet 56. Superposed on the `blocks 55 are blocks 51 of octagonal shape, each 45 of the blocks 51 connecting together the rounded corners of four adjacent blocks 55. A porous membrane 58 is secured to the outer face ot the blocks 51. In this modified form the channels between the blocks 55 are of such shape that both 50 longitudinally and transversely of the structure enlarged spaces 59 alternate with constricted spaces 60. In other respects the intercommunieating channels between both sets of blocks function substantially the same as those above de- 55 scribed and illustrated in Figure 11 to entrap sound waves. I

Throughout the preferred and modiiled forms of the invention it is now clear that the fabricated acoustical construction provides an interior in 30 which a continuous chain or net-work of intercommunicating channels or air cells are arranged longitudinally andv transversely of the structure and communicate with each other not only in the plane of the structure but at right angles to the ss plane of the structure. This labyrinth of intercommunicating air cells within the interior of the acoustical construction permits of sound waves which strike the surface of the construction being absorbed during their ramiilcations in any dlrec- 79 tion around in the connected air cells.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A fabricated acoustical panel built up of a base sheet and a plurality of layers of hollow blocks, the layers being laid fiat upon each other amano; 3

and in intimate contact with each other, the individual blocks of each layer being spaced at the edges thereof from each other, the spaces between said individual blocks forming airichannels opening through the edges of the panel, the channels of contiguous layers intersecting each other and communicating at their intersections to provide a labyrinth of air cells through which sound waves may ramify longitudinally. transversely and permaterials for walls o! rooms and the like comprising a base member and a plurality oi superimposed layers of uniformly spaced members arranged in rows, ,said rows being uniformly spaced from each other a distance equal to the space between said members, the members in each row of each layer being disposed symmetrical to the space between the members of adjacent rows of the adjoining layer and of greater width than said 10 pendicularly to the plane oi the panel.

Space.

l0 2. An acoustical wall member formed of ibrous CLARENCE E. OLSCHNER. [1.. 8.1. 

